Menu

Do you know where my motivation is?

I’m a tall person. A very tall person. I’m also relatively thin; I have been my whole life (thanks Mom!). Actually, in high school I was extremely thin. And just a FYI: extremely tall + extremely thin = gangly awkwardness. The more I got into sports (especially basketball) I became more fit (and less freakishly skinny). I was toned, athletic, healthy and thin. I’ve always been 100% proud of my body. I honestly haven’t really had many complaints over the years.

Of course I’ve gained weight since high school – show me one person who hasn’t and I’ll give you a hundred bucks (or I may just curse them out?). I can’t say I worked out much in college (unless you count dancing on a Saturday night, or participating in drinking games as a workout?) yet, the scale never really went up. I slowly started to gain a little bit of weight starting around junior year in college. However, now that I’m 24 and not in my teens anymore, surprisingly my body gains weight a weee bit faster!

Now, I’m not writing this to brag about having a good metabolism. I’m also not writing this as a ‘skinny girl’ bitching and complaining about the extra weight I’ve gained since high school. I don’t have a problem with my gaining weight, I have a problem with the core problem: my laziness. I’m writing this because I have been hiding from the gym and neglecting work outs for…(I hate to say it)…months, and I need to do something about it. I envy people who love working out – who enjoy running, have a great time at yoga and spin until they can spin no more. I need that in my life.

I could blame my lack of motivation on a number of things:

1. The winter sucks and makes me want to hibernate

2. I work long hours and oftentimes my job can be pretty stressful. When I get home from a long day I just want to relax. Flip side? I’m not a morning person, so working out at 6am truthfully makes me want to upchuck

3. I don’t like any of the classes at my gym

4. The one class I did looooooooove (hip hop) got canceled and has since been replaced by a Zumba class taught by a woman who moves slower than a turtle

5. Bottom line, I feel like I haven’t found a class, activity or work out I love.

What I’m looking for, or think I need:

1. A hip hop class (they’re so much fun and I get a great workout!)

2. Possibly find a basketball team to play on? I also like to swim, so maybe look into the Y (somewhere with a pool) so I can incorporate that into my workout

3. I need to try to like yoga

4. I need to get into some sort of routine/schedule – i.e. Monday is hip hop, Tuesday is basketball, Wednesday is yoga, etc. This includes more sleep every night!

5. Bottom line, I need to just suck it up and get ‘er done!

The topic of body image has always fascinated me. A woman’s body is a beautiful thing. Too often we complain about our bodies, compare ourselves to other women, turn the pages of our latest fashion magazine with envy, try on outfit after outfit hating everything we put on and beat ourselves up over that cheeseburger and fries we enjoyed or the extra pound we’ve gained.

Our society tells us that thin is beautiful. Toned, tight bodies are what’s hot. What happened to individuality and unique bodies? I know I’m never going to be ‘perfect’ according to Hollywood (for example), but I know I can be perfect to me. What’s perfect? A healthy, in shape body. When I’m taking good care of myself (and yes, that includes still enjoying cheeseburger, fries, cupcakes, etc. every now and then) I feel great. I have more energy and I’m proud of myself.

I lost my motivation. It has run far, far away from me, but I know I can (and will) get it back.

Post navigation

7 thoughts on “Do you know where my motivation is?”

I didn’t like yoga the first time I did it either, but then I got into HOT YOGA and it’s totally different. The room is set to 90 degrees and the few yoga movements you do (over and over again) in a 90 minute class make you SWEAT your ass off and makes it feel more like a cardio workout than just a stretching class.

Try it out! If you’re ever in Cambridge (Baptiste Power Yoga on Mass Ave) and want to try out a class, let me know and you can come with me!

Coll, 3 words: hip hop yoga. X and lvp do it on either Tues/Thurs and I recently joined them. Its semi-hot, like 85 degrees, set to loud music and a dark room and you just sweat it out (to hip hop). Wanna plan a day to try??

Hi Colleen!
I never comment on any of your blogs (even though I read all of them) because I feel like a huge creep, (which I self-admittedly am) but I just had to comment on this one! I laughed the whole time because I completely agree with you! I friggin HATE people who love working out! WHY CAN’T I LOVE WORKING OUT?! What do I love? My bed. And that is a serious problem. I need that motivation too! As you may of guessed, I don’t have any suggestions for motivation for you haha, but hopefully you’ll find this motivation lurking in the shadows somewhere and I will read about it and perhaps I will decide that’s my motivation too?! I’m glad we’re in the same boat here. Good luck!
Oh and PS – You’re beautiful right now :)

I would totally try a hip hop class with you! I just can’t seem to find the right place to go…Also, I know all about the different kinds of yoga and the pros and cons so remind to tell you about that. Some are really more for meditating/calming than a sweat it out workout, but truly the fast moving ones are FAST.

As another tall and thin woman, I know exactly where you’re coming from! I basically eat what I want (in moderation) and don’t really gain that much weight so it definitely makes me less motivated to head to the gym. I absolutely despise running but I must say, whenever I do yoga I feel great. I just feel so “clean” after doing it and I feel like I make wiser food choices because I just worked my butt off! It’s literally a full-body workout and a great way to challenge yourself; you’d be surprised what you’re able to do! I’m always up for taking classes so if you want to do one together, let me know! :) [chels]

I’m short and thin but feel the same way. I hate going to the gym, but like how I feel afterwards. Just doing 30 (okay 20) minutes makes me feel good about myself. I bought a groupon or something for Soni Yoga on Concord Ave in Cambridge and have a few classes left, and zero motivation to use it. If you want to go there I’d go with you! Having a gym buddy helps too. My bf and I don’t do the same things at the gym but saying we’ll go at the same time motivates me to show up. Set goals low and make them easy to accomplish – like exercise once a week!